Don Williams

'96 game with UT sparked Hart

If Donnie Hart's football career extends beyond this season, he will remember the turning point. Even if it doesn't, he can pinpoint the moment he arrived as a certified college playmaker.

The Texas game two years ago.

Going up against future NFL cornerbacks Bryant Westbrook and Taje Allen, Hart caught five passes for 241 yards. He knocked down Allen with a stiff-arm on an 86-yard scoring play and almost scored on another play that went for 77 yards. He added a second touchdown from 32 yards out.

''I feel like as a player, I've been more consistent and played better ever since that game,'' Hart said this week. ''It's unfortunate that we lost that game (38-32), but I think from a personal standpoint, it really helped me improve as a player and gave me confidence that I could really succeed and excel at this level.''

Air 'Horns quite the weapon, too

Two years later, Texas Tech could use the same sort of Saturday night from Donnie Hart. Tech has to help its Ricky Williams, because there's no doubt the Texas Longhorns will help theirs.

Major Applewhite was quite the little helper last week with 408 yards passing against Oklahoma State. He's starting to make a habit of that.

The Longhorns' Ricky Williams, who needs 204 yards to overtake Tony Dorsett as college football's career rushing leader, managed only 80 last year in a 24-10 loss to Tech and only 90 last week in a 37-34 win versus Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys always kept eight defenders and sometimes nine or 10 within sniffing distance of the line of scrimmage to cut down Williams. He still found a way to hurt them, catching a 48-yard touchdown pass.

In fact, he had a career high 74 yards on three catches.

''If you stop the run, we can pass the ball and win the ball game,'' Williams said. ''It's not important to me if I get only 80 yards or whatever.''

Applewhite has offense clicking

For what it's worth, Williams believes he will wind up with the record. He is so close, Williams suggested this week, that his breaking it is almost inevitable. Not that the usually modest Williams has turned mouthy.

It's just that the Longhorns are a confident offensive team right now. Oddly, the reason is not so much the senior running back, but a redshirt freshman quarterback from Louisiana.

Applewhite is 21 yards away from a 2,000-yard passing season and helped rescue team confidence after disastrous September losses to UCLA and Kansas State. His poise reflected in seven consecutive 200-yard passing performances might be the most impressive thing from the 20-year-old.

Longhorns defensive end Aaron Humphrey, the former Monterey standout, said Applewhite ''conducts himself well.''

''I think he has a great eye for the field,'' Humphrey said. ''He's able to see every angle and every corner of the field. He has a pretty good receiving corps that's helping him out, but he has a good eye for the field and knows where to place the ball.''

The Longhorns will test Tech deep with speedy Wane McGarity and over the middle with tall Kwame Cavil. Those two have 46 and 44 catches, respectively, and a composite 1,543 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Red Raiders will need to coerce an interception or two from Applewhite, who has thrown eight to go with his 13 touchdown passes.

The Major is a freshman, right? Just once before the season ends, Longhorns opponents would like to see him play like one.